Saturday Bible Reading and Devotional

Read Genesis 22:1-14

What stuck out to you in reading these verses today?

Did the verses raise any questions as you read?

What is God leading you to know or do from these verses?

Faith and substitution: those are the two key words that are on display in this passage. We learned a little about Isaac’s parents this week, and we learn a lot more about his father, and our heavenly Father, in our reading for today.

Abram, now Abraham, had his faith tested by God, and he responded in faith. He knew God was worthy of trust, so he followed his command. He also knew that God would keep his promise, so he believed that if it were necessary, God would bring his son back to life again (Hebrews 11:17-19). God didn’t need to bring Isaac back to life again, because he had a plan for a substitute sacrifice, which points us to Christ.

Indeed, the promise to Abraham in Genesis 13:15 and 17:8 pointed forward to Jesus. Paul writes, Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ (Galatians 3:16). A substitute was provided for Isaac so that God’s promise for a substitute for all believers could come through his descendant, Jesus.